Car-coupling



Patented Nov. 8, |898. H. W. HARRINGTON.

CAR couPLlNG.

(Application led Feb. 8, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

'C No Model.)

7 .WMM ,0 y@ Q fm@ 70 r... l T 3 t ya y@ w am No. 6l3,992. Patented Nov. 8, |898.

H. W. HARRINGTON.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application filed Feb. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARDY W. HARRINGTON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,992, dated November 8, 1898. Application tiled February 8, 1898. Serial No. 669,567. (No model.)

T0 LZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARDY W. HARRING.- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplin gs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of car-couplings in which the coupling-pin is operated from the side or top of the car, and more particularly to that class in which the pin is held in an elevated position prior to coupling by a gravity-catch and which catch is operated to release the pin by the impact of a link inserted in the draw-head.

The invention has for its object the provision of a gravity-catch in which the use of pivoting or retaining lugs or pins for supporting or securing the catch in place within the draw-head is done away with. When such lugsor pins are used, they are often broken by the impact of the link on the catch and are therefore objectionable.

It also has for its object the provision of a device that can be used with links carried at` different heights and thereby do away with the use of the bent links ordinarily employed to couple draw-heads of different heights; and, further, it has for its object the provision of a mechanism whereby the coupling can be operated from the side or top of the car.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

y In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure l is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing a coupling mechanism embodying the invention. In this View the coupling-pin is shown supported in an elevated position by the gravity-catch. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pinin a coupling position. Fig. 3 is a View, partly in front elevation and partly in section, showing the coupling mechanism. Fig. I is a detail perspective view showing the gravity-catch.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the draw-head. The latter is longer vertically than those in ordinary use, and its exterior is of any construction suitable in the premises. It is provided with a mouth a of the usual construction. In the rear part of the draw-head is a chamber or recess a', from which the mouth leads. In the floor of the said chamber or recess a bearing a2 is formed. The face of this bearing is curved so as to be concentric with a point near the bottom of the chamber. The top a3 of the chamber is also curved concentrically with the point and forms a guide or bearing surface. The

rear wall a4 is inclined 'at its upper end to the rear. The sides of the chamber are closed by the walls co5. In the top and bottom of the mouth portion a are formed vertical openings d6 for the reception of the coupling-pin.

Within the draw-head is mounted the gravity-catch B. It has a heel b seated in the bearing a2, on which it can be rocked. The bearing-surface b' of the heel is curved concentrically with the point From the heel an extension b2 projects, and it has its upper face concentrically curved with the point 0c. The said extension has a forwardly-projecting lip b3, and in its forward side a recess b4 is formed. The extension has such dimensions as to but partly fill the chamber a' and so that it can have considerable movement therein. Its upper face moves against the bearing-surface in the top of the chamber. From the heel portion of the catch and at substantially right angles to the extension b2 a tongue b? projects into the mouth of the draw-head. This tongue has its upper and lower faces beveled at h6 and 197, respectively. Through it is a passage bs in line with the openings o6 in the top and bottom of the drawhead to allow the insertion of the couplingpin. The tongue b5 has considerable size and weight, and normally it rests on the bottom of the mouth of the draw-head and thereby holds the upper end of the extension b2 in a IOO forward position, with the lip b3 beneath the opening a in the ltop of the draw-head.

The coupling-pin C is preferably rectangular in cross-section, although it may be of other suitable shape, and is adapted to register with the openings CLG in the top and bottom of the draw-head and the passage bs in the tongue The openings aand the passage bs are shaped to fit the coupling-pin and are in this instance rectangular. The passage through the tongue has sufficient size to allow a free movement of the latter. The lower end of the coupling-pin is enlarged and has the shoulders c', which are adapted to engage with the should ers a7, projecting from the sides of the opening be in the top of the draw-head, through which the pin passes. These shoulders prevent the pin from being entirely withdrawn from the draw-head. It is to be observed that the shoulders o' are at such a distance from the lower end of the coupling-pin and the shoulders a7 are at such a distance from the lower end of the opening a as to allow the pin to be withdrawn to such an extent that its lower end will be flush with or above the inner face of the mouth of the draw-head.

A mechanism is provided for elevatingthe coupling-pin from the side or top of the car, so that a trainman will not be required to go between the cars to couple them.

A shaft D is journaled in bearings d, attached to the front of the car. The ends of the shaft project beyond the sides of the car and have attached thereto the crank-arms d', whereby the said shaft can be rotated. From the shaft, intermediate of its ends and directly over the draw-head, a bell-crank (Z2 projects. The latter passes through a clevis d3, hinged to the upper end of the couplingpin. The outer end of the bell-crank is curved upwardly to prevent a disengagement of the same from the clevis.

In addition to the crank-arms d for rotating the'shaft D another means is provided for the same purpose. A rod d4 is attached at its lower end to the crank d2 and at its upper end passes through the guide d5. The upper end of the rod is formed into a handle and is in a position near the roof of the car, from which it can be grasped and the shaft D thereby rotated.

The operation of the device is as follows: lVhen the pin is in a coupling position, it is as shown in Fig. 3. To elevate the couplingpin and thereby release the link L, the shaft D is partly rotated by either the crank-arms from the sides of the car or the rod d4 from the top of the car. The rotation of the shaft D raises the outer end of the crank d2, and through the connecting mechanism the coupling-pin C is elevated and thereby releases the link L. The pin is raised until its shoulders cengage with the shoulders a7, which limit the upward movement of the couplingpin. When the pin reaches its highest elevation and the link is withdrawn, the weight of the tongue b5 causes the latter to drop and rest on the bottom of the mouth of the drawhead. This movement of the tongue rocks the gravity-catch on its heel and brings the lip bbeneath the opening asin the top of the draw-head and also beneath the lower end of the coupling-pin. The latter rests on said lip and is held thereby in an elevated position until the lip is moved away from beneath the opening.

lVhen the pin is held in an elevated position by the gravity-catch, it is ready to connect with a link. In couplinga link the latter is forced into the mouth of the draw-head, and if it is at the ordinary height or slightly above it will impinge on the beveled upper surface b and will ride thereon until it strikes the extension b2, and thereby rocks the catch backward and disengages the pin and allows the latter to drop through the link and couple. The recess b4in the front of the extension receives the link. If the link should be carried lower than ordinarily, itpasses between the bottom of the mouth of the draw-head and the beveled under side bi of the tongue and raises the latter and thereby rocks the catch. The forcing up of the tongue rocks the upper end of the catch backward and releases the pin and allows it to drop.

It is to he observed that the gravity-catch is held in place, guided, and limited in its movements by its peculiar shape and that of the recess in which it is seated. There are no lugs or pins projecting from the catch into the draw-head to be broken by the impact of the link.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having opposite concentric bearings formed in the interior of the same and in its top and bottom respectively, a catch free from retaining pins or lugs having a heel seated in the said bearing in the bottom of the draw-head and having an extension provided with a bearing-surface adapted to register with the said bearing in the top of the drawhead, a tongue projecting from said catch into the mouth of said draw-head to hold said catch in an operative position and to act as a link-guide, and a coupling-pin carried in said draw-head and adapted to be held in an operative position by said catch.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having opposite concentric bearings formed in the interior of the same and in its top and bottom respectively, a catch free from retaining pins or lugs having a heel seated in the said bearing in the bottom of the draw-head and having an extension provided IOO IIO

with a, bearing-surface adapted to register with the said bearing in the top of the drawhead, e tongue having beveled upper and lower faces projecting from said catch into the mouth of said draw-head to hold the catch in an operative position and to act as a guide for a link introduced into the draw-head above or below the same, and a coupling-pin carried in said draw-head and adapted to be held in an elevated position by said catch.` Io

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARDY W. HARRINGTON. Witnesses: i

GEO. K. DETWILER, EDMUND M. HALL. 

